File transfer method and system

Abstract

To provide a file transfer method and system capable of making backups in a unified manner at backup sites and MSP (Management Service Provider) operating under an around-the-clock system with high reliability equipment. When data to be transferred such as backup is transferred between SAN (Storage Area Network) storing units to back up the data stored in the SAN, a data transfer instruction is sent to the transfer source and transfer destination of the data transfer via a network which is different from the SAN.

1. A file transfer method of transferring data stored in a Storage Area Network (SAN), comprising the steps of:
 instructing execution of a scenario describing a series of steps for carrying out a file transfer; 
 executing transfer processing according to said instructed scenario and sending a data transfer instruction, when data to be transferred is transferred between SAN storing means, to a transfer source and a transfer destination of said file transfer via a network which is different from said SAN; and 
 receiving the data transfer instruction via said network and transferring the data to be transferred between said SAN storing means using a function of the SAN, 
 wherein a plurality of transfer locations are selected according to a past history using a procedure of said scenario. 
 
   
   
     2. A file transfer method of transferring data stored in a Storage Area Network (SAN), comprising the steps of:
 sending a data transfer instruction, when data to be transferred is transferred between SAN storing means, to a transfer source and a transfer destination of said file transfer via a network which is different from said SAN; and 
 receiving the data transfer instruction via said network and transferring the data to be transferred between said SAN storing means using a function of the SAN, 
 wherein when a disk to which data is transferred lacks free space, the data is automatically transferred to other transfer destinations. 
 
   
   
     3. A file transfer method of transferring data stored in a Storage Area Network (SAN), comprising the steps of:
 storing, when there are logical layers of data in a system that uses SAN storing means, map information that stores correspondences of identifiers for identifying data among said logical layers; 
 storing copy group map information for defining a group of disks of a copy source and a copy destination when data is copied; 
 instructing data transfers by specifying data using identifiers in arbitrary layers; 
 acquiring identifiers in said layers of data instructed to be transferred using said map information; 
 acquiring a copy group storing said data instructed to be transferred in the copy source using said copy group map information; and 
 matching content of the copy source with content of the copy destination for the acquired copy group, splitting those disks and acquiring data of the same content as that of the copy source disk in the copy destination disk. 
 
   
   
     4. A file transfer method of transferring data stored in a storage apparatus, comprising the steps of:
 accepting a data transfer instruction by specifying data using an identifier in an arbitrary layer; 
 using map information which stores correspondences of identifiers for identifying data based on logical structures of the data among said logical structures and acquiring the identifiers of respective logical structures about the data instructed to be transferred; 
 acquiring a copy group storing said data instructed to be transferred in a copy source using copy group map information in which groups of disks to which data is copied of copy sources and copy destinations are defined; and 
 instructing software of the respective logical structures based on the acquired identifiers and copy groups to transfer data. 
 
   
   
     5. A file transfer program for transferring data stored in a storage apparatus, comprising the steps of:
 accepting a data transfer instruction by specifying data using an identifier in an arbitrary layer; 
 using map information which stores correspondences of identifiers for identifying data based on logical structures of the data among said logical structures and acquiring the identifiers of respective logical structures about data instructed to be transferred; 
 acquiring a copy group storing said data instructed to be transferred in a copy source using copy group map information in which groups of disks to which data is copied of copy sources and copy destinations are defined; and 
 instructing software of the respective structures based on the acquired identifiers and copy groups to transfer data.